Mirror Soul
by Tall Tails - Feline Jaye
Summary: It is said that when the Mirror Soul brings the reflections together, something great will happen. Not nessicarily the good kind of great either. PreDeathly Hallows. Rating might change later. ON HOLD - until I get a life.
1. Assorted Artifacts

Please keep the following in mind while you read:

This fan-fiction is post-HBP/pre-DH. Deal with it.

Because they make my job harder (and because they annoy me) THERE ARE NO HOROCRUXES. So sue me.

YES - the characters won't be exactly how they 'should' be. This is because I am NOT, in fact (gasp-shock-horror) J.K.R. I am Feline Jaye and the characters may not be spot on, but I do my best.

Some of the more unlikely things are there because it was convinient. Get over it.

ALSO:

I have seen a few things that show how similar Harry and Tom are, but the idea for this fiction was directly inspired from a picture on devientart called **-HP- Reflection in the Mirror** by _korilin_. But no, this is not a slash (if you've read the comment). The inspiration is purely from the picture.

**ANY-**bloody-**WAZE**

On with the story!

* * *

The bell above the door gave a little ring, announcing the arrival of three teenagers. They walked up to the owner, whom they were aquainted with. 

"Dick, how are you going?"

"I'm okay Harry. I suppose you three want to head into the other half of the shop?"

"If we could."

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger followed Richard 'Dick' Jones, owner of _Assorted Artifacts_, behind the counter and through a door that lead to the more... _magical_ part of the store. The three spread out, 'just browseing'. Dick may not have used his wand in a long time, but he was magical enough to know who the three in his shop were. He figured, though, that the best way to treat them was indifferently. Then again... sometimes he did 'treat' them.

"There is something you all might like to see, if you step this way."

The trio followed him through some aisles until the reached a mirror. They stood admiring it and Dick spoke.

"This is the _Mirror Soul_."

The three noticed these two words cavred in the top part of the frame.

"When one stands in front of it, they see the person whose soul is the closest match to their own."

They stood in silent awe for a moment, before Dick continued.

"If when one looks in, the edges are 'frosty', then the reflection is in the past and you are not to meet.However, if the 'frostiness' fades away, then you will meet your reflection If the edges are 'steamy', then the reflection is in the future and you may or may not meet them. But, if the reflection is clear, they are alive and you may or may not meet them."

The egarness pronouced itself in all three of the friends.

"Can, can we look into it?" Ron asked tentivly.

"Of corse." replied Dick.

Ron stepped up first. A man stared back. The man had orange hair and a few freckles, he also had a short joined beard and moustache. The man wore royal attire in red and gold and held a large sword in his hands. Ron noticed that the edges of the mirror were 'frosty'.

"Well? Who is it?" Asked Hermione.

"Can't you see him?"

Dick gave a small smile and explained.

"No one can see what you see in the _Mirror Soul_."

"Oh. Well-" Ron proceeded to describe the man and ended with "He's dead, though. The edges are 'frosty'."

Hermione was the next to step up. She saw the face of a girl that looked a few years younger than herself. The girl had electric blue hair that Hermione took to be natural, since the girls eyebrows and eyelashes were also electric blue. She was wearing plastic looking jeans and a very 'teched-up' top and Hermione couldn't fail but to notice that the edges of the mirror were 'steamy'. The girl keep looking down at her armband that seemed to be a communicator, and then she would look back up and smile at Hermione.

"So?"

Hermione took a breath and described the girl she saw. She remembered to mention the 'steamy' edges.

"Go on Harry." she said after she had finished. "Have a look."

Harry stepped in front of the _Mirror Soul_. He gazed into the glass and thought for a moment, that it wasn't working. He seemed to be stareing at himself. Then he reliesed the slight differences. The hair was neater than his own, the emerald eyes not covered by glasses and of corse, no scar. He looked into the reflections eyes and his mouth parted out of shock. The emerald eyes had flashed red, blood red. It hit him in that moment who he was looking at, and he stumbled a step backwards.

"Harry, what is it?" Ron asked, slightly alarmed.

"No..." muttered Harry.

He was relieved at the frost around the edges.

"Harry, tell us." said Hermione, panicing slightly.

"It can't be..." he muttered again.

Then the edges started to defrost and Harry's eyes widened in shock.

"Harry," started Dick "Who is you mirrored soul?"

For a tense moment, there was absolute silence, then harry spoke.

"Tom Riddle." he turned to his friends. "It's reflecting Tom Riddle."

* * *

And I leave you on a cliffie because I love leaving people on cliffies. I'll get the next chapter up real soon, though.

Like it? Hate it? Please tell; review.


	2. Draco's Dilemma

He sat cross-legged on his new bed, reading a book. The bed wasn't new as in 'just bought' - it was new as in it had just recently become his. Though he technically didn't own it. He read hungrily, only pausing to push his blonde bangs out of the way. Sometimes, when he got thinking, he would almost laugh. Not a year ago, he used to laugh and ridicule people who read books for leisure. But at Grimmuld Place, it was only thing he could do, beside sleep. No, that wasn't true, not any more. He could go play Quidditch or something similar with Harry now. Now. He hadn't been able to when he first came, as if anyone would welcome Draco Malfoy back with open arms.

_Flashback_

_"I never wanted to come with you!"_

_"You are going to go back to the Manor, and we're going NOW!"_

_"NO!"_

_Snape grabbed his arm and pulled him forward._

_"We are returning to the Manor, whether you want to or not."_

_He pretended to relax. Just like Draco predicted, Snape relaxed his grip. He jerked out of the grip and ran._

_"Get back here! _Serpensortia!_"_

_He jumped at the familiar spell. Luckily, it didn't hit him._

_"Come back here!"_

_"As if!"_

_He ran and ran, finally stopping to sit on a brick wall, out of breath. He had no where to go, no one to help, no one was extending a hand to pick him up. Except... Dumbledore **had** offered him protection, but would the rest of them hold up the offer? Would they even **believe** that Dumbledore had made the offer? Draco didn't know, but he did know it was his only choice. He ran through his mind all the places that the 'light side' would be._

_"Diagon Alley? No - I'll be arrested.  
Hogwarts? No - Can't apparate there and will be arrested.  
Potters place? No - Don't know where it is and will be **killed**."_

_Only one other place occurred to him, it was also the only place he actually knew the location of. He stood, stepped forward and spun around concentrating on only one place - The Burrow._

_He appeared at the end of a dirt path. He started to walk down the path, his mind blank of what to say. Draco finally got to the door and knocked. It swung open and he said the first thing that came to mind;_

_"Please don't kill me."_

_End Flashback_

After some very excruciating questioning and, admittedly, Harry telling them that Dumbledore **had** offered him protection, they finally let him stay at a safe house. He was staying at Grimmuld Place along with Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. And of course, the rest of the Weasleys visited often.

During the first fortnight, Draco didn't really come out of his room. They all seemed to still hate him though he had (honestly) said sorry. Then one afternoon in his third week, when Hermione and Ron had been out on a date (those two had **finally** hooked up), he had a knock at the door. When opened, it revealed;

"Potter!"

"Hey, Malfoy. Um, I was thinking-"

Draco bit back a mean comment.

"Well, you've been holed up in here for a while and I know you've got all your stuff,"

This was true. He had been given back all his stuff he had left at Hogwarts.

"And Ron brought a Quaffle over, so I thought, maybe you'd want to chuck it around. Or something."

It took Draco a moment to register what he was being asked.

"You want to, play some Quidditch?"

Harry nodded.

"With me?"

Another nod and a comment, after Harry saw his expression.

"Is that so unbelievable?"

Draco's face cracked into something it didn't normally do; a true smile.

"Okay then, let me just get my broom."

That had been the start of Draco's first, real friendship. He was friends with them all now, to a point. They were at least on first name terms with each other. It was now about halfway through the summer holidays.

Draco sighed. He had read this book before and the second time was rather boring. He closed the book and walked to the library to return it. As he approached an aisle, he heard a distinctly human noise. This was strange because Harry, Ron and Hermione were out at the moment (though due back any second now) and Remus was meant to be in the kitchen. He proceed with caution. As he turned into the aisle, he saw an unconcious figure, under a small pile of books. The figure had neat black hair, pale skin and seemed to be wearing school robes. That was all Draco registered before he dropped his book and bolted out of there to find someone. Anyone.

* * *

Yay! Second chapter.

Thanks to BRM for being my sole reviewer! You rock!

Please, R&R (read and review).


	3. Old School

I got an idea for this chapter, and had to go back and fix up the second chapter to make it work. So, read the second chapter before you read this or you'll spot a tiny plot hole.

* * *

He strode down the corridor, his emerald lined robes swirling around him. Whether this was his own doing or a result of magic residue is up to the watcher. 

"Stop. Who's there?"

Tom Riddle sneered, making sure it was hidden by shadows. No good letting the Head Boy see him sneer at him.

"It's Riddle, Malfoy."

He stepped into light, letting Malfoy see him better.

"What are you doing out of bed, Riddle?"

Tom sighed, though did his best to make sure there were no visible signs. He and Malfoy were commonly called rivals and even that simple fact made Malfoy hate him all the more.

"A need to use the lavatory, Malfoy. Not all of us have private rooms with an _ensuite_."

Malfoy scowled.

"You know your not allowed out of your dorm, give me one good reason why I shouldn't dock you 20 points."

He almost smiled, that was an easy one coming from Malfoy.

"I'm in Slytherin."

It took Malfoy a moment to register the fact and what it meant.

"Fine, but you better not get caught."

Tom nodded respectively and passed Malfoy. He continued down the corridor until he reached a female lavatory. He turned and walked inside quietly.

"Open." Tom hissed as he walked up to a certain sink.

The tap shone with an amazing white light and started to spin. Next, the sink started to sink out of sight. Before it was completely out of sight, Tom hopped onto it and positioned himself so that he would have a fairly smooth journey down on the sink. He reached the bottom and after muttering 'Lumos' carefully treaded across the damp floor. He eventually came to two engraved snakes with great emeralds for eyes.

"Open." He hissed again.

The two halves obediently split to reveal the main chamber of the Chamber of Secrets. Tom sighed as he walked into what he considered to be his chamber.

"Nagini? Nagini?" He casually called out.

His dear snake and pet came slithering into view just as his foot touched the ground. He walked over to meet it and petted it affectionately on the head. If Tom had to love something, it would be Nagini. But since he didn't have to, he didn't quite commit himself to loving her.

"I wish the school wasn't so suspicious, otherwise we could have some fun with the students. That Weasley has been asking for a 'terrible accident' for quite some time. Perhaps we'll merely pay Hogsmeade a visit."

Nagini was about to hiss in agreement, when something caught her eye.

"Master, over there." She hissed.

Tom snapped his head in the direction she indicated. It seemed that part of one of the walls had decided to turn it self into mercury. Tom walked curiously, yet cautiously towards the transfigured wall. He stood right in front of the section of wall and just had time to quietly ask no one in particular;

"What the -?"

Well, almost enough time. A sudden gush of wind with hurricane whipped about inside the chamber and pushed him through the wall of mercury. On the other side of the mercury wall, Tom collided with a bookcase and fainted.

As he regained consciousness, Tom took in his surroundings. He appeared to be in a large library of some sort, a strangely familiar library... Tom heard footsteps approaching, drew his wand and hid in the shadows. Three boys and a girl that didn't seem to be much younger than him turned into the aisle.

"He's here..." the blonde boy trailed off.

The red head boy raised an eyebrow and the blonde hurried to try make sense.

"Well, he was here. Right over," the blonde stepped to where Tom had been lying "Here."

The other three followed just enough for Tom to make his move. He stepped out of the shadows, grabbed the back of the red heads shirt and poked his own wand into the boy's neck. The boy had given a yelp that made the other three turn.

"Now," He was pleased with how clear and calm he sounded, "I need answers."

Tom surveyed the group quickly, but leisurely.

"Who's going to give them to me?"

* * *

Third chapter! I used the second book for Chamber of Secrets layout, etc. 

I give thanks to BRM, my one and only reveiwer.

Please, if you read it, reveiw it.


	4. Q&A

Yay! I now have two reveiwers!

Thanks to BRM and Crissy for reveiwing; here's the next chapter (sorry for the wait).

* * *

Just as Draco reached the main room, Harry, Hermione and Ron walked in. 

"Harry! Someone just appeared upstairs in the library. it looks like- I mean, I've only heard descriptions but- well- come on!"

Draco turned on heel and bolted back up the stairs, leaving the trio to pursue. Draco slowed to a run once he reached the library and the others followed suit. As they turned into an aisle Draco said;

"He's here..." He trailed off.

The boy had been here, Draco knew it. Ron raised an eyebrow, the first to be sceptical. Out of everyone, Ron was the lest forgiving. Draco hurried to try explain.

"Well, he was here. Right-"

He took a step.

"Over."

He took another step.

"Here."

He finally stepped right on the patch were the boy had been lying. The trio stepped a bit closer. Suddenly, someone grabbed Rons shirt from behind and poked their wand into his neck. Ron gave a yelp and the others turned around. Draco recognised it as the boy he had found, Harry and Hermione recognised it for a different reson. The boy spoke.

"Now," He said in a calm and clear voice, "I need answers."

Everyone but Ron (who was silently whinpering) felt the boy's gaze roll over them. The boy spoke again.

"Who's going to give them to me?"

For a moment, Draco, Harry and Hermione just stared.

"Well?" The boy asked, poking his wand in harder.

Harry breathed out who he knew it was.

"Tom..."

He regained his senses and took up charge.

"What do you want to know?"

Tom gave a small smile.

"What do you want with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why am I here? You've brought me here, correct?"

"We didn't bring you here."

Harry turned to Hermione for some help. Hermione was looking at the spines of some of the books on the floor and back up at Tom.

"I think..."

Harry could tell she was on the verge of a breakthrough. She continued.

"That... yes, that would make sense. And-" her eyes grew wide. "Oh my- I know how you got here... and why."

They looked at her. She add rather weakly;

"Vaguely."

Hermione addressed Tom.

"A few minutes before, we-"

She motioned to herself, Ron and Harry

"Were at a shop, looking at magical artifacts. We, he,"

She motioned to Harry.

"Looked into a mirror called the Mirror Soul. In this mirror he saw..."

Hermione threw a glance at Harry, gave a slight, dissapointed frown and nodded.

"He saw you. I'd read and heard that the Mirror Soul is extremly powerful and has been known to bring people from the past or future into the present. This is what would've happened to you."

There was an odd silence.

"How do I get back?"

Hermione gulped.

"You- you don't." She said in a small voice.

"What?"

"I don't really know how it works, but if the Mirror Soul transports someone, they don't 'go back'."

Another silence.

"I know someone who knows more about it, if you'd just-"

Tom cut in.

"Uh uh uh, not quite. I assume I've been transported through time, how far?"

"Well, that depends on how old you are."

"Turning 17."

"Then you'd be about, 53 years into the future."

Tom considered this.

"Do you know if I'm still alive?"

Tom could almost laugh at this question. Of corse he would still be alive, he had plans for immortality. But then, something odd happened. harry turned a sickly shade, Hermione looked grim and Draco looked perfectly terrified and seemed to shuffle closer to Harry.

"Yes." Harry answered in a rather restricted voice.

Tom knew better than to press on.

"What do you plan on doing with me?"

They relaxed considerably, but shot guilty glances at Harry. Harry himself seemed to be struggling with something.

"I guess you could stay here."

"What!" Ron blurted out, earning himself a poke in the neck.

"Well, if he can't go back, then there's not many other places he can go. I mean what if V-"

Harry stopped himself just in time.

"What if someone sees him? He's meant to be a bit different in this time."

Company considered this. Slowly, they each gave a nod. Harry turned back to Tom.

"You can stay here. We won't do anything."

Harry thought for a moment, and added as an afterthought;

"Unless you give us reason to."

Tom looked them all in the eye, trying to see if they were telling the truth. He deduced that they were, but that's not all he deduced. When he had looked at Hermione, she seemed to be thinking about a million spells at once. When he looked at Draco, the boy seemed about to break and immensely relived when Tom looked away. But when he looked at Harry, beside the odd feeling of looking into a living mirror, he could see a real pain behind the eyes, a pain that Tom thought Harry thought he was responsible for. Tom finally shoved Ron away from him.

"I'll give you no reason."

"They don't need much, you know. Impulsive Gryffindors."

Drcao almost yelped when he realised what he'd done. He'd said it without thinking. His reward was three 'looks', though Tom seemed to ignore these.

"Lead the way, then. Oh, and I may need an up date."

Hermione and Ron lead the way out, with Harry and Draco blocking Tom's retreat. Tom was walked down to the main sitting room and sat on a couch. He refused to feel intimidated around these people. The other four sat on the couch oppisite. Tom decided on the most relieable way to get their names.

"My name's Tom Riddle. Though you seemed to know my first name."

He managed to refrain from flinching as he said his name.

"I'm Harry Potter."

"Ron Weasley."

Tom's mouth twitched.

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'm Draco Malfoy."

Tom mouth twitched again. Then, a voice almost barked out from the kitchen.

"You four, have we got a vistor?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco froze. They had forgotton they weren't the only ones in the house.

"I'll go explain to him. You three fill him in."

Hermione walked off to tell Lupin who their 'vistor' was.

"Erm, Ron, I just remembered, hermione told me to show you this... book! Yeah, a Quidditch book she found. So if you wanna..."

It took him a second, but Ron caught up.

"Oh, yeah! Okay. Er Harry?"

He looked apolegetically at him. Harry reassured them.

"It's fine, you two go."

Ron and Draco greatfully blolted upstairs. Harry faced Tom, who raised an eyebrow, indicating to start.

"I'll start from the very start."

* * *

Yay! another chappie! Thanks to wwwdoturbangeekdotnet/timelines/potterdothtml (dot . [fullstop) for helping me get the years right.

Sorry again for the wait!


	5. History Lesson

Sorry for the wait!

I give cheers to BRM (my long standing reviewer) and Barranca (my newest reviewer).

* * *

"After school, you seemed to disappear for a decade or so. When you reappeared, no one recognised you as the student you were. You were Lord Voldemort, with an army of loyal followers called Death Eaters, the world was in such a terror that no one even dared to speak your name." 

Harry stopped and Tom smiled. He had done it, the world had been his for the taking, he must have been so **powerful**. Then something accured to Tom.

"But something happened, didn't it?"

Harry nodded and continued.

"There was always a resistance. I don't mean the ministry either."

Harry snorted, giving Tom the impression that he didn't think much of the Ministry of Magic.

"The Order of the Phoenix was the main, **reliable** resistance. This place," Harry gestured, "Is the current Order of the Phoenix safe house."

Tom nodded.

"Did I know of this resistance?" He asked carefully.

Harry nodded and continued with the story.

"You found out about a prophecy from a-" Tom saw Harrys distaste and how he spat out the next four words. "-**spy**, named Serverus Snape. The prophecy stated that you would be defeated by someone whose parents had defied you three times and that was born at the end of July. That's all the spy heard, anyway. So you tracked down who you thought to be the person the prophecy refered to."

Harry swallowed, giving away his nervousness.

"You thought it was me."

There was an echoing silence. Tom took this new infomation in. He had thought Harry was the threat? Yet Harry sat in front of him, very much alive? What had happened? What had gone wrong? Harry continued, his voice considerably resistriced.

"You forced your way into the house, dueled and killed my father. You killed my mother, while she tried to protect me and then you, tried, to kill me too."

There was a pause.

"I obviously didn't succeed."

"The spell rebounded. You were left almost dead. I was left with a scar and no family."

Tom took note of the lightning bolt shaped scar on the boys forehead.

"Ten years later you found a weak person called Quirrel. You possed him and attempted to steal the Philosphers Stone from Hogwarts. Near the end of the year you almost succeeded, but I stopped you. That was in my first year at Hogwarts."

Tom was, addmittedly, impressed. A mere first grader and Harry had beaten him. Tom wondered how, and how the first killing spell had rebounded, and what had happened to Harry during those ten years.

"The next year, you possed a girl called Ginny Weasley and reopened the Chamber of Secrets. At first you attacked some muggle-borns, only petrifying them, but then you concentrated your efforts on me. You didn't succeed. I managed to kill the basilisk and stab the diary you were using to possess Ginny."

Tom's eyebrows raised.

"You killed the basilisk?"

Harry nodded as Tom let him see how impressed he was. Harry then continued on.

"Towards the end of the next year, you regained one of your most faithful Death Eaters. The next year was the Tri-Wizard Tornament. You used it to transport me to a graveyard so you could complete a ritural to gain a body. You gained a body, alerted your Death Eaters to your come back, but when you dueled me to kill me, I managed to get away and back to Hogwarts. The year after, the order of the Phoenix regained it's numbers and the Ministry denied your come back. Until, while attempting to steal the prophecy from the Department of Mystries, you appeared inside the Ministry it's self to try and kill me. Dumbledore stopped you."

Tom snorted before he could help himself. That old fool was still alive? He should have been murdered years ago!

"The next year you enlisted Draco Malfoy as a Death Eater, with his first assignment as killing Dumbledore."

Tom noticed that each time Harry mention Dumbledore, his eyes gave way to sadness.

"Draco tried several times, and failed. His final attempt, that had been his original idea, finally worked. He managed to get Death Eaters staright into the school. A battle broke out between the Order of the Phoenix (who had been patrolling that night) and the Death Eaters. Draco cornered dumbledore on top of a tower and disarmed him. Draco tried to kill him, but just, couldn't. Dumbledore offered Draco a place on the 'light' side. Then some Death Eaters came up onto the tower top. After a moment **Snape**-" Harry spat out the name again. "-came up too. he killed Dumbledore and ran off with Draco."

Tom smirked.

"Finally, that old fool is dead and done with."

"Don't call him that!" Harry snapped.

Tom was slightly taken aback, but hid it.

"Call him what? An old fool? Why shouldn't I call him what he is?"

"Don't."

Harry's voice was now deadly serious, which wasn't what Tom had been expecting. He pushed futher to find out a bit more.

"He was an old, meddling fool that didn't realise that not everything and everyone could be saved and 'fixed' with a bloody hug."

Suddenly, Harry was standing and Tom was having trouble holding his glare.

"Don't say another word about Albus Dumbledore." He said in his deadly serious tone.

Tom calmly stood and, still holding his stare, just as calmly stated.

"He was a stupid, loving fool."

Just as Harry lunged at Tom, one hand a fist, the other with a firm grip on his wand, Hermione walked in with Remus.

"Harry!" They both shouted out before Remus grabbed Harry and pushed him towards the couch and Hermione cast a light spell to push Tom back down into the other couch.

"What, is going on here?" Remus demanded as he took a seat near Harry.

"I told him the facts." Muttered Harry and he stood up to walk away.

This minute or two had given Tom enough time to think properly. What he had just seen in Harry had been such, such, such **power**. Tom knew he had to have someone this strong as a 'friend'. As Harry walked away, Tom turned to face him.

"I'm sorry for insulting Dumbledore. I shouldn't have said it, I know."

Harry didn't break stride, but Tom knew he heard him. This was certainly going to be interesting.

* * *

yes it will. Anywaze, read&review please. like, dislike etc. more soon, (hopefully). 


	6. Observing  Watching  Analysing

Hello!

I give a huge thanks out to my reveiwers:

BRM, silvermoon2082, azaneti, wAstxd1pRocrasTinator, Barranca

and my three anon. reveiwers, Crissy, crystallight365 and Abby (though Crissy seems to have dissappeared!).

**Reply**: crystallight365: No, though I do like the show. As for were I **did** get it from, please read on.

Here is the next chapter, and I warn all; it will get a bit choppy because a made up the storyline a while ago and now I've forgotton how the next bit goes...

* * *

That night, dinner was rather tense. At first, no one spoke except for "Pass the pepper, please." Tom would've liked to take head of the table, but knew it to be too bold a move. In the end, it was Hermione who started the conversation and Tom took this time to observe. The Weasley seemed to be the loudest, in fact he was a lot like his grand-father (or maybe it was his great grand-father). Hermione seemed to try and include everyone, though also seemed relunctant to include himself. She also seemed to act as referee between Weasley and Malfoy. Malfoy himself also seemed a lot like his grand- (or great grand-) father, at first glance. Tom suspected he had been raised like that, but something (probably recently) must've changed that. Probably what had happened when he tried to kill Dumbledore. Remus was an interesting character. Out of place amoung these teenagers, but still 'in-touch'. He must have a connection with them somehow, Tom suspected it to be through Harry. Yet Harry himself, wasn't actually talking. Tom was shocked by this revelation since only once he started really concentrating on Harry did he realise. Tome started to analyise Harry, find out more and he realised what Harry was doing. Harry was doing exactly what Tom was, he was carefully observing his friends and... Tom hurriedly looked away when Harry caught him stareing. Then he heard a low hiss, 

"_Don't pretend you weren't studing me. I know you were._"

Tom's shock almost visibly registered, almost. He hissed back in the same low hiss that would fall deaf upon human ears.

"_You can speak in tounges? In **Parsletounge**?_"

"_Nah, I'm just randomly hissing._"

Tom mentally scowled and remembered to keep one ear and one eye on the others.

"_Well I hope you won't deny analysing me, if I'm not allowed to deny analysing you._"

"_I never did deny it._"

"_You never comfirmed it either._"

"_You're quick._"

"_Admittedly, so are you._"

A small smile caressed Harrys lips and he added something to the conversation taking place at the table. Taking the cue, Tom did his best to participate in the conversation positivly. Though with the current company it was hard.

* * *

The next day, Tom awoke to an intruding ray of sun across his face. Groaning, he sat up and tried to remember how sunlight could leak into the dungeons. It hit Tom in a series of flashes. He wasn't in the dungeons, he was in the Order of the Pheonix's Headquaters - He had travelled in time - He had met the interesting and **powerful** Harry Potter - He had met the other occupants - He was trying to win Harry over, for even a mere **taste** of that power. Tom took into account were the sun was (not trusting his watch) and concluded that it was rather early. He creapt out of his room and to the library, practically the only room he knew the location of. After retrieving a book he returned to his room and read for about 3 hours. Then, he heard voices. 

"I just dunno, Harry. I mean, what if he tried to escape? It's bad enough with one Voldemort running around, but two?"

"Oh don't be silly Ron, we'll just take him to the shop and come straight back."

"Yeah but-"

"You two do realise he can most probably hear you right now, right?"

There was a silence broken by Ron swearing and Hermione starting to tell him off. Tom heard Harry's voice interupt.

"Hermione, leave it."

And there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Harry, followed and flanked by Ron and Hermione, walked in.

"Hey, listen, we thought we'd take you to the shop that had the Mirror Soul. The shop keeper might now a way to reverse this."

Tom nodded.

"Okay. Lead the way, though I would like a bit of breakfast, first."

After breakfast it was decided that Hermione would floo first, followed by Harry, followed by Tom, followed by Draco (who had been allowed to come after expressing interest and Ron saying he didn't want to go). The whole process would be monitered by Lupin.

* * *

Tom rolled out onto the cobbled floor, unused to flooing. He gracefully picked himself up, brushed off and stepped out of Dracos way as he stepped out of the fireplace. Tom quickly spotted who must be the shopkeeper. A quick complement, 

"I lovely shop you keep."

And a question with no reason not to answer.

"May I ask of your name?"

"Richard Jones. You're all to see the Mirror Soul?"

Harry nodded and Richard led the four of them to a back room. The first thing to catch his eye was a large, intricate mirror with the words _Mirror Soul_ engraved on the top.

"So, who would like to step up first?"

There was a silence before Draco stepped towards the mirror.

"Now remember; if the edges are 'frosty', then the reflection is in the past and you are not to meet. However, if the 'frostiness' fades away, then you will meet your reflection. If the edges are 'steamy', then the reflection is in the future and you may or may not meet them. But, if the reflection is clear, they are alive and you may or may not meet them."

Draco stared into the mirror and the others waited. Suddenly, Draco's eyes widened considerably. Tom picked an image out of his mind. The image was of a young boy holding a sign. The sign read; **Just 'cause he's evil, doesn't mean he's not good. Stay friends with Harry Potter no matter what the cost!** Tom was shocked himself. The image shouldn't be able to convay a message, he was sure of it.

"It's, it's a young boy, about ten. He's wearing a white suit with a light blue shirt and cloak, silver lined. He has pale skin, blonde hair and grey eyes. The edges are frosted, kinda."

"Kinda?" asked Hermione.

"The frost is in patches, and staying that way."

There were nods of understanding. Tom noted that he didn't mention the sign. Draco stepped back and he, Hermione and Harry looked expectantly at him. Tom mentally sighed and stepped in front of the mirror. At first he thought it hadn't worked, for he seemed to be staring back at himself with a calculating look. Then he remembered that his face was nuetral and went about finding differences. The black hair was messier than his own, the skin darker (but not much) and the eyes that stared back were a startling emerald. His own eyes were duller than those in the mirror. All in all the reflection was quite familar. Tom was about to set that aside as the reflection looking so much like himself, when he realised who it was. Before he could stop himself, his eyes flickered over to Harry and quickly back to the mirror. Tom noted the steamy edges fading away. He spoke merely three words.

"It's you, Harry."

Tom heard Harry sigh. They turned to Richard and it was Hermione who spoke, though Tom got the impression of Harry being in control. Richard looked thoughtful.

"Dick, if the mirror transports someone, is there anyway to send them back?"

Richard was silent for a moment, thoughtful.

"Since the mirror creates a copy, no. You see, there is always a reason behind Mirror Soul travels. In fact, they say when the Mirror Soul brings two reflections together, something **great** will happen."

Richard left those words echoing in everyones mind as the thouchtful look returned to his face. Harry nodded.

"Thank you, Dick."

"Your welcome, Harry."

The irony of their names hit Tom then. He knew of the saying 'Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry'. That saying was one of the most prime examples of why he hated his name. Now, what was surly to be an important chapter in history had been set off by a Tom, a Dick and a Harry. Harry tunered to leave and Hermione, Draco and Tom followed. They flooed back to the Headquaters to face Ron and Remus.

* * *

Ah-ha! Another chappie, already up! I apoligise for the wait.

Thanks again for all my reveiwers, your reveiws are what this story feeds on! Please, keep 'em coming.

This is mainly a filler, sorry for lack of anything much BUT it does have two (or three) important things in it.

Cya'll later!


	7. New Game

So Sorry! I know I haven't updated in a while and I could think of some elabrote excuse but the real reason is i got lazy...

But, you peoples now have a new chapter - horraze!

And I thank all of you who have add this to alert - fav.s - or reviewed.

* * *

"Come on Hermione!"

"No!"

"Please?"

"I won't!"

"It's just a friendly game-"

"I won't play, I couldn't stand being on a broom."

"You'll love it!"

"I won't!"

It was a common banter and one of the few where Ron and Draco actually teamed up. The three boys wanted to play Quidditch, but needed an extra player. Harry, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.

"Why don't we ask Riddle?"

The banter stopped immediatly and the other three slowly (**very** slowly) turned to face him. There was an uncomfortable pause.

"You don't have to look at me like I just suggested we all join a suicide cult or something."

"Sorry Harry but, Riddle?" questioned Ron.

"Yeah. Maybe he'd come out for a fly."

"... but, Riddle?" Draco tentivaly asked.

"Yea- Oh for Merlin's sake Draco, he's not the Grim Reaper." this instantly confused Draco.

"Who's that?"

"It's- never mind. My point is that Richard said he was a copy, right? He can't go back. So, well, what's the harm in making fr- in being nice to him?"

Another pause as the other three considered this.

"We-well, we could at least **ask**... he might not say yes."

"Hermione! I thought you were on our side!"

"Harry makes a good point though, I mean, what's the harm?"

The other two boys searched for an answer before sighing and giving up.

"Fine." They grumbled.

The four of them then stood round, everyone but Harry shuffling or fidgeting, waiting for a silent cue.

"Fine I'll go get him." Said Harry and walked off in a slightly annoyed mood.

* * *

Tom had watched the four down on the field, two with a broom and another carrying two. He'd heard their words float up to his open window. Harry actually suggested includeing **him**? Even though the others acted like he was (as Harry rightly put it) the Grim Reaper? Tom closed the window, picked his book and sat back on his bed, pretending he'd heard nothing. A few moments later the was the sound of footsteps outside his door and Tom's door swung open.

"Hey, Tom?" Harry looked around the door before walking in.

"Me and Ron and Draco were gonna chuck a quaffle around, wanna come?"

Tom tried to analyse the sentence, then a thought struck him. He'd never flown before.

"Um, I havn't actually-"

"Flown? Don't worry, we'll teach you the basics. It's just a friendly match anyway."

Tom studied him. Why would Harry ask him along? The others had either ignored or been hostile toward him, so why was Harry different? Perhaps he merely wished to make a fool of Tom. A glint behind his glasses caught his eye and elicted a thought. Perhaps... Perhaps Harry was as curious about Tom as Tom was about Harry.

"Okay."

Tom stood and followed Harry outside down to the field. Once there, he could've sworn the others looked shocked. Tom merely scowled at them.

* * *

The four of them, Harry, Tom, Draco, Ron and Hermione, all stood around akwardly for a moment before Harry took charge.

"Chuck us the spare broom Ron?"

Chucked, caught and passed to Riddle, who seemed to hold it akwardly.

"Thanks. Up in air then, I guess. We gotta run Riddle over some basics before we sort teams or anything."

Probably itching to be as far from Riddle as possible, Ron and Draco mounted and shot up immediately while Hermione retreated backwards to find a seat. Harry mounted and hovered, looking back to see what Riddle was doing. It turned out that he was standing (and looking embaressed) still holding the broom.

_He doesn't even know how to mount?_

Harry voiced his thought and got a snapped reply of;

"Well I'm not aware of the present day procedures, but in my years they didn't think it nessicary to waste time teaching students how to fly."

He landed and walked over to Riddle.

"Swing your leg over like this, first off."

And from that Harry became Riddle's unoffical flying tutor.

* * *

A while later, and Riddle actually seemed to be getting the hang of it, miracle of miracles. Draco whined as he zipped past Ron;

"Can we get into teams now?"

Ron turned just in time to see Harry shake his head before asking who wanted to pair up with who. Quickly weighing up the chances of having Riddle on his team Ron said;

"Draco!"

Just after Draco declared

"Ron!"

Ron did his best not to look Draco's way. Unfortuantly, this meant he saw Harry's very slight frown.

"Fine," He said before calling out to Hermione, "Hey 'Mione! Could you throw the Quaffle up for us?"

Hermione got up, colected the ball from where the boys had dropped it.

"Three, two, one, GO!"

She threw the Quaffle up and, just as Ron's hand was about to grab it, he felt a rush of air, saw a black streak and suddenly the quaffle was no longer there. Instead, Harry hovered a few meters away, laughing in a good humoured way.

"Have to do better than that, Ron!"

And with that line, the game commenced.

That night, Tom observed that dinner was much more lively. He didn't know much about the game, but Quidditch must do this to them.

"Bloody hell! Can't believe we got beat!" Ron looked over at his 'teammate' "Why'd you let them score?"

"Why'd **I** let them score? It was **your** fault, R-on-ald!" Draco replied, streaching out the red-heads full name.

"Shut up! It wasn't! I just can't believe we got beat 2-on-1."

There was a slight pause and they were all thinking the same thing. 2-on-1? What about **him**?

"Er..." Ron started quietly, but was cut off.

"Hey! We've been friends since forever! Why am I suddenly nothing and Riddle's '1'?"

This cover-up seemed to be taken in stride with the others and conversation continued. When dinner finally finished, Lupin appionted Tom and Harry as the 'washer-upperers'.

"Oh! Are you sure Lupin? I don't mind-" Hermione started, Tom not missing the glance the sent Lupin.

"They can handle it, Hermione."

Her nod seemed weak as she disappeared upstairs with the others. Harry walked out of the room.

"The kitchen's this way."

* * *

Riddle hadn't spoken yet, and Harry wouldn't be the one to strike up conversation. They were say, half-way through the dishes? Then a soft voice.

"Thanks."

Unfortuantly, Harry wasn't sure what he was refering to, as he had just passed him a plate to be dried.

"Um-"

"For the cover-up during dinner."

"Oh. No problem."

"It was unexpected."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Well... we're gonna have to live with you, so may as well live with an enjoyable you."

Riddle nodded. There was silence again.

"They don't like me."

"Oh, well-"

"No. They don't like me. But you seem rather neutral on the issue. Why?"

Harry could tell the other boy wanted answers and would get them no meatter what.

"Well, Ron doesn't like you 'cause you're Slytherin anyway, and Hermione doesn't like you 'cause she knows you don't like Muggle-borns-" Thankfully he didn't ask how Harry knew she knew.

"And they all don't like you because, well. Because they don't like Voldemort."

A pause. they were almost finished washing up now.

"Then why don't you not like me because you don't like Voldemort?"

A thoughtful pause as Harry considered Riddle's question.

"Because your not Voldemort. Not yet. You're already different from the you that stayed in your time."

"You, you don't hold a grudge against me?"

"No, **you** havn't given me a reason to yet."

"So, clean slate?"

The last fork was put away and the two turned to face each other. Harry felt a quick smile flicker over his face before he held out his hand.

"Hey, I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

The other took his hand and the shook.

"Hello, I'm Tom. Tom Riddle."

They gave each other a smile, that both knew was rare.

* * *

Oooo... mini pact...

Gosh, there's so much to get through. I've gotta write down what happens so I don't forget...

Sorry bout the wait! (Have been starting way to many stories, and then there's work, and a life laughs)

Reveiws welcome and appreicated 9along with constructive critisism).


	8. Lethal Love

Mirror Soul

* * *

Bellatrix entered the hall walked towards her Lord. She had a strong, brisk stride with a playful twist and held her wand hidden in the folds of her robes. She reached the Dark Lord and curtseied.

"M' Lord summond me?"

He was silent at first, he always is. she knew it was so those under scruteny could squirm.

"Indeed. It is time there was a direct attack towards those that resist me. I have been developing a potion, it is your job to administer it to whom I tell you to."

"As you wish, M' Lord."

* * *

Today could've only been improved by one thing; Harry. Okay, it would be great if Voldemort was dead as well and if her dad had a better job, but Ginny knew those things were less attainable. But even without Harry at her elbow, it was a great day. She giggled at her friends comment as she walked down Diagon Alley, coming to the mouth of Knockturn. As they passed the enterance, a cloaked figure bumped roughly into her.

"Tell Potter that the Dark Lord sends his best." a sickly cruel femine voice whispers in her ear as a liquid is split down her top and over her skin.

The cloaked figure dissapperates as Ginny falls to the ground, screaming bloody murder.

* * *

Everyone sat in the lounge room of Grimmauld Place, as per the letter that had arrived moments before. The fireplace flared with green flames and Arthur Weasley stepped out, the solemn expression out of place on his face. Harry was the first on his feet.

"Who's hurt? What happened?"

Mr. Weasley looked at him with pity, but addressed everyone.

"It's Ginny." Panic strikes Harry's face "A Death Eater poisoned her. She's at St. Mungo's but, they're having trouble identifing it."

"What!?"

"Please, stay calm Harry. There's nothing we can do about it, just let the Healers do their job. They'll find a cure." Lupin speaks as the voice of reason.

Harry stays silent for a moment, his hands forming fists that shake with energy. The hallway bulbs explode in crescendo.

"If anything happens to her, if she doesn't-" Harry chokes on his words "I'll kill them. I swear I'll kill them, I'll go out and I won't come back until they're dead."

"Don't speak rashly, Harry."

"Mr. Weasley's right, Harry. If, no- **when** Ginny wakes you're going to be the first person she wants to see."

Harry nods and sits, apparently satisfied with this. All the while, Tom had watched with a shine to his eyes. What feats of power.

* * *

The very first sensation, is the feeling of someone holding her hand. Not that she can move it in response, but it is still comforting. She jaggedly flutteres her eyes open, part of her wishing to shut them again when the blinding light reaches her retina. She turns her head the slightest bit.

"H- Har... y..." Ginny raspes as she sees the unmistakable mop of black hair.

He turns and behind his black rimmed glasses are red rimmed eyes.

"Ginny..." He doesn't seems to realise what has happened, then; "Ginny!"

She flinches at the too-loud sound and his voice is immediatly soft as a feather.

"Ginny, Ginny..." tears start to drip. "I'm so sorry Ginny, I'm so-"

She smiles and any possible words choke up in his throat.

"There's... nothing to b- ... sorry a- ... bout." Every word feels like her last.

"What happened?"

"Bella ... trix. She poured ... something ... on me. Can't ... remember ... anything ... else."

Harry just smiles, leans down and kisses her forehead.

"It'll be alright, Gin. It'll be alright."

* * *

Draco, Harry and Tom stood at the door, listening in on what Arthur was telling Lupin.

"Then Ginny's stabilsing?"

"She- she was."

"Was? Arthur you look terrible, what happened?"

"There was a delay in the potion. She's unconcious again and this time..."

A vase explode next to the boys, china flying in all directions. Draco and Tom turned to Harry. Harry stood there, shaking, his head bowed down and his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"I promised, I swore on it." He spoke with devistating certainty.

Then Harry ran from the room. It took the other two a while to figure out what Harry was about to do, but it clicked in the same moment. They glanced at each other, then ran in oppisite directions; Draco towards Mr. Weasley and Lupin and Tom after Harry.

* * *

"Come on then, here I am! Come and get me!" Harry stood deep in Knockturn Alley, shouting up at the air.

"Come on **Bella**, capture me and make your dear Dark Lord **proud**." He sneered his taunt.

Tom hid in the crowd of on-lookers, doing as they did and 'looking-on'. Signs of nearby shops flung in a non-existant wind, things propped up with Muggle methods fell. Tom knew the sort of thing that was coming.

"Come **on**! You want me dead? Fine! here's your perfect chance! You don't wanna fight here then Apparate me away so I can kill you somewhere else!"

A distored childish voice dodged through the crowd.

"I hardly think you'll be doing the killing, little baby-Potter."

The proud gait of the Death eater under the cloak belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry whirled to face her wand out front, magic still whipping around him. Lestrange only hesitated once, when a particualarly strong gust of magic blew past. She advanced on Harry Potter.

"_Imperio_!"

The spell struck Harry dead on, yet he merely laughed.

"No such luck 'itty-bitty' **Bella**." he taunted her how she usually taunted him. "You can't control me."

A sapphire spell flung from Harry's wand and the pair duelled. Tom watched with fasination as spells were dodged and exchanged. Harry was by no means a perfect dueller - spells were hitting him, but the raw **power** behind his own spells greatly outweighed the power behind Lestrange's.

The duel of course, was stopped soon enough. The popping sounds that announced that the aurors had arrived sounded and Lestrange made a run for it. Turning behind her she saw aurors so she instead opted for running right past Harry. This turned out to be a mistake on her part.

It would later be put down to an enraged bystander, a not-so-careful Auror or one of her own rebounding curses. Nonetheless, an emerald green light illuminated Bellatrix Lestrange's silohute for a moment, before she fell to the ground.

* * *

As they sat back in Grimmauld Place, an interesting feat took place as Molly Weasley similtaneously tried to mother Harry and scold him.

"Oh I do hope you are alright - not that I'm saying this makes it all better. But with Ginny in her condition - how could you stress her like this?"

And so it went on.

"I wonder who it was that killed her?" Ron whispered to Hermione who sat next to him.

Tom, who had paid careful attention to Harry the whole time, had seen where the Avada Kedavara curse had come from. Harry had fufilled his promise. Something else had happened to Ginny, and Harry had killed the Death Eater responsible. But the fact that Harry had killed wasn't what was knawing at Tom, not by a long shot. It was **why**. It knawed at him so much, he had to ask.

"Why?"

Not very tactful, just blurting it out like that. All head's turned to him. Some faces were mistrusting, renewed since his future self had done this, some were scared, but one was merely confused. Tom explained, addressing that one face.

"Why did you get so angry and... how, why-?" Tom didn't know how to finish it.

"They hurt Ginny, I couldn't let them get away with that."

"But-"

"Because I love her. Because I love her more than anything in the world, more than life itself."

"L- Love?"

He felt silent as he chewed on that tidbit of information and attention drew back to Harry. He had always grown up thinking that love was a weak emotion, it was a liability. That it was something to be used against someone. But a Death Eater (and a formadeble one if the reactions of those around him and the Lestrange from his time were anything to go by) had died because of 'love'.

No, that wasn't exactly right. Lestrange hadn't just died because of love, she'd died because of **Harry's** love. Harry seemed to be an exception to Tom's old rule of 'love is a weakness'. Instead of it makeing him falter, it seemed to spur him on. It was thoughts like this that was seriously skewing Tom's idea of love.

* * *

Tom lay on his bed, reading another book from the library. He liked reading, soaking in the knowledge felt... natural. There was a knock on the door preceeding Harry's messy head looking around the door.

"Hey, we're all going out to Diagon Alley in about... half an hour. Did you wanna come?"

Tom looked up, an eyebrow quirked, then looked back at his book.

"I don't think the others would appreciate my presense."

"You'll probably just be walking around with Lupin, okay and probably Draco, but don't worry about that."

That caught his attention.

"Why wouldn't I be with you? Or Ron or Hermione?"

Harry developed a vicious blush across his cheeks and he adverted his gaze.

"Well, you know, Ginny's better know and-" here he seemed to puff out a bit "I'd make sure nothing happened to her. So well-"

Tom suddenly realised what Harry was saying.

"Oh. You're going on a date."

Harry gave a shy smile and looked at him while his face pointed down.

"Erm..."

Tom sighed. No matter how strong this 'love' had made Harry, on the flip side it **still** made him an akward teenager.

"Sure."

Harry turned his surprised face upwards. Tom looked afronted.

"What? I figure I should get out once in a while. You made it out like pretty much no one would recognise me."

"Ye-yeah. sorry."

An akward pause.

"So see you downstairs in half an hour?"

"See you then."

* * *

Finally! I am so sorry for the long-arse wait - this has been finished for ages, but my internet's been screwy lately so I havn't updated (and I've been lazy).

And yay, I'm actually moving on in the plot line, the next chapter should add even MORE to the plot.

Read&Review please!


	9. Just a Couple of Crazy Teenagers

The 'Document Manager' deleted this chapter when I had it almost finished... (very lame defiantly.)

Thus I stalled for ages before writing it again (I need backups...).

* * *

Draco was very nervous, and Tom could tell.

Was it the flinches whenever Tom addressed him?

Perhaps how he walked just a **little** too fast?

Maybe is was the scared glances, which Tom knew he wasn't catching all of?

Or it could be the soft, careful tone in which Draco talked?

No, it was probably how **high** he jumped when Tom tapped his shoulder.

"So... where's somewhere good to eat?"

"What?! Oh, um... we could go to the Leaky Cauldron." Draco said it like a question.

"Ugh, I'd prefer not. Anywhere else? That's not a pub?"

"Erm, there's this other place I know, _Eat Water Drink Fire_, kinda weird name I know but it's actually pretty good. So er um-"

"Alright, we'll go there."

* * *

Tom sat alone at a table for two as Draco scurried about near the register, looking much more relaxed now that he was away from Tom. He stared out at the other patrons and at those that worked here. Without realising (until she was walking his way) he had glanced at the same young waiteress quite a few times. She stood polietly to the side of the table.

"Are you right or looking for someone to serve you?" she asked with a sweet smile on her face.

"My..." He searched for the appropriate word "Associate was looking for someone, but if your here and willing..."

"Oh, I am! So, what would you like to order?"

"I've never been here before, what can you suggest?"

The girl glanced down before turning her deep onyx eyes onto him again.

"Well, it may not sound like much, but the _Black & Bleu_ is actually really nice. It's just a salad but..."

"What has it got in it?"

"Oh, fresh garden lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber. But what makes it '_Black & Bleu_' is the black olives and bleu cheese. And it comes with dressing."

"That's sounds lovely, I'll have it."

"Really?" She looked down at her feet for a moment and when she looked up her olive cheeks were tinted with a blush. "Actually, it's my favourite."

It was only at this point that a few key ideas clicked into place for Tom. The downward glance followed up with the shy blush was just too obvious a clue. This girl **fancied** him! She was acting shy and bashful. Tom knew he was good-looking, he had had a few admirers in his own time and knew how to turn on the charm when he wanted something. But he usually just gave these admirers the cold shoulder.

Tom remembered the raw power that enveloped Harry.

_Harry stood there, shaking, his head bowed down and his hands balled into fists at his sides._

_"I promised, I swore on it." He spoke with devistating certainty._

He remembered the words stated in such a tone that left no room for arguement.

_"Because I love her. Because I love her more than anything in the world, more than life itself."_

Tom remembered how well love seemed to serve Harry and the most logical course of action. Swallowing years of his own tradition, he glanced around before leaning over conspiratorily. Stealing a glance at her nametag he addressed;

"Sonia, is it?"

She predictuably blushed a light pink spattering.

"Yes." She seemed to grab her wits as she replied, "Good to see you can read."

He smiled, she smiled. Unconsiously, Tom was sure, she had leaned into him.

"May I be so bold as to ask when your shift ends?"

Eagerly she said; "Of course!" Then in sadder tones "Er, in about 3 hours, actually."

"Excellent! A comfortable amount of time for me and my associate to eat and finish shopping before-."

He looked away sheepishly. Knowing just how to play this he said in quiter tones;

"Oh. My apoligies. I just assumed, I didn't actually ask, that was rather rude."

Stealing a quick glance at her face from under his eyelashes, he saw a satisfying blush that indicated she was in the bag.

"Would you like to accompany me around Diagon Alley for the afternoon?"

Her barely concealed smile told him the answer was yes, but she beat about the answer for a moment.

"With your, erm, associate?"

"No, just the two of us."

A soft silence hung between the two, the answer already there but not yet uttered.

"I'd quite like that."

And the two of them were still smilely dopily at each other when Draco returned to the table.

"I found someone and ordered, but then I realised I didn't know what you'd-"

Draco seemed to realise what he'd walked in on and shut up, but the damage was done. The mood broke and Sonia took a step back.

"Erm, yea, so, I'll be back with your order, -?"

"Tom."

"Tom." she repeated.

Sonia had a rather pleased look on her face as she walked back to the kitchens. Draco sat in a chair at an angle to the table, elbow up he stared over at Tom.

"What?" Said Tom in an offended voice.

"Where you... flirting?"

"Yes." Seeing Draco's expression he added in a patronising voice "Is there anything so wrong with that? Have things changed that drastically that one can not flirt in a public place?"

"N-no! It's just, um..."

Draco snuck a glance at Tom, only to be met with a raised eyebrow and a look that indicated he was about to cross into a metaphorical minefield.

"Nothing." He concluded in a small voice.

The rest of the meal was, understandably, conducted in silence.

* * *

"You let him off on his OWN!"

"He wasn't on his own, **Weasley**."

Ron and Draco were in a heated argument, heated enough that they had even reverted to calling each other by their last names. The next few lines of argument;

"You let **Tom Riddle** off in Diagon Alley on his own!"

"He was with a girl! How the hell could I say 'Oh, I'm sorry **Future Dark Lord**, but I don't think I'm allowed to let you go on a **date**'."

Summed up the cause nicely. Once Sonia's shift had ended, Tom had dismissed Draco's presence and proceed to go on his date. Draco had meekly returned to the Leaky Cauldron at the agreed upon time - with no Tom Riddle in tow. Once Draco had barely got out the minimum of what had happened, Ron had started to yell at him.

Harry decided to step in; "I'm on Draco's side."

Both arguers turned to Harry in confusion, though Ron's look was paired with an offended and incredulous "What?".

"What would he have done, Ron? Told Tom not to date? Not to have a life? Not only is that cruel but it's ridiculous. Honestly I think this is a good sign - or don't you remember what Dumbledore always said?"

As if saying Dumbledore's name he had invoked the name of some great god, Ron instantly bowed his head in shame. While Draco shifted into an unatural poker face, the effect was not quite the same.

"What did he always say?" Draco asked for the key piece of infomation in soft tones one expects at a funeral.

Though Harry continued to stare right at Ron, he also spoke to Draco, Hermione and Ginny, reminding them all.

"He said love was a powerful thing, that love could save us. He said that one of the main reasons Voldemort became so twisted was because he had never felt loved."

Harry sighed deeply, weight of seemingly insurmountable tasks heavy on his shoulders for a moment, then;

"Look, Tom Riddle - **this** Tom Riddle - is a different person from the Voldemort we know. He became a different person the moment the Mirror Soul transported him here. he has the potential to be all that Voldemort is but he also has the potential to be everything Voldemort **isn't**. The only way I know to stop him from following Voldemort's path is by treating him with kindness and preparing for the chance that he turns and bites us for our efforts. It's- I think-," He collected his thoughts "I think it's what Dumbledore would have done."

The five of them stood in a heavy silence, mourning Dumbledore once more and realising how true Harry's words were. As Ron gave Draco a reassuring pat on the shoulder and apoligised, the heavy silence was lifted but left them with naught to say. Thankfully, this uneasiness was broken comfortably by the taverns doors jovially swinging open to admit a happy, young, smiling couple. As the couple proceed to approach Harry and the group also approached the realisation that this couple consisted of Tom and a Vietnamese girl in a waitress uniform. They had just finished laughing once more as they reached the group.

"Harry! Draco! Everyone! This," here Tom gestured "Is the lovely Sonia Nguyen. Sonia, my asscociates."

Gesturing and naming each of them in turn (and good spirits) Sonia exchanged pleasentries with them all, and a small gasp of excitement to be meeting Harry Potter. Sadly admitting to Tom that it was much to late and that see truly had to leave, Tom promised that they would see each other again - soon.

Tom carefully avoided the awkward silence as Sonia left. He took a chance to glance at Harry only to find the wizard already looking at him. Tom bristled, expecting a reaction similar to Draco's, but was instead greeted with;

"I hope for your sake you keep that promise." a slight yet pregnent pause followed before Harry continued much more jovially; "After all, you know what they say - 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'."

"I plan to do my best to keep that promise - I don't fancy trying myself against all the furies of Hell!"

And the group relaxed into contentment.

* * *

It became a common sight, in the following weeks, to find a trio of couples walking down roads together. The famous pair, unmistakable Harry Potter and fired-up Ginny Weasley. The token couple, with bookish Hermione Granger and bold Ron Wealsey. The last, much more mysterious couple, charming Tom Riddle and witty Sonia Nguyen.

You could, of course, find these couples on their own, but it became rare to ever see half of either couple. And for once in his life, Tom felt as if he was having **a good time**. Things seemed to be going **right**. He was on very good friendly terms with Harry (though he dared not admit that they might actually be **friends**), he was once again surrounded by friends, he even had a **girlfriend**. And he had found out that Sonia was a Ravenclaw in what would be his year group. He had gotten comfirmation that he could almost certainly be attending Hogwarts once the term resumed, so he could even look forward to returning to the one place that felt like **home**.

Yes, he was well liked, he was happy,everything was going right and Tom Riddle dared to say that he was honest-to-Merlin **in love**.

Which of course was exactly when it all went **WRONG**.

* * *

Ah ha! Cliffhanger. Actually I should be heading to sleep but I feel guilty that I haven't written anything in ages so I thought I should finish this chapter up.

On an unrelated (but very awesome) note: I totally saw Wicked a few hours ago!!! It was very very good and makes me feel bad about not going and finding the books (the original Oz series or the Wicked book). So I will find them soon.

Hoped you liked that chapter, reviews are not only welcome but very much appriciated!

And I apoligise for the strange summary to explain that Tom and Sonia are going out. I'm a horrible romance writer at the best of times and right now my brain is gone so that's the best you're gonna get.


	10. Our War

I can't remember the last time I updated... I'm sorry my readers! I'll try harder, I promise!

* * *

They hovered outside the door, anxious for Harry to exit. The Order of the Phoenix had called an emergency meeting at Grimmuld Place and, as usual, the trio had eavsdropped outside the door with extendable ears. When they'd got the gist of what the meeting was about, Harry had flung the door open and begun shouting at the members how it was their right to know this infomation. Draco and Tom had joined them, summonded by the sudden increase in volume. Eventually Harry had been admitted into the meeting, but all the extendable ears had been confiscated leaving the rest of them standing outside the door, clueless.

After ten minutes, the door flung open sharply halting just before the wall grabbed by a hand at the last moment. The hand on the doorknob gripped it tightly, the knuckles going white. Remus Lupin approached Harry from behind.

"You can let go now, Harry."

But his words seemed to have no effect, so Lupin carefully pried Harry's hand off of the doorknob. He looked up at the rest of them and finding something reassuring he returned to the meeting room, parting with the ambiguous words;

"Take care."

Hermione tenderly took him by the elbow, and the group retreated upstairs. Harry fell into an armchair, Ron and Hermione sat close on a bed, Tom pulled over a desk chair near Harry while Draco leaned against the desk. Technically they were situated in a rough circle, but in spirit they faced Harry who was holding his head in his hands.

Wearily, he finally spoke; "Hermione, we're going to need to contact everyone from D.A. and anyone else who would be a good addition. No one's forced to participate, but every bit of help is going to be really appriciated. And dare I say it, we're going to need books, as many as we can cram in our heads. Ron, I want training regiems. Running over everything from defensive to disabling the enemy - as permemently as we can. Draco, get us as much information about what we can expect to face. We know the basics but there's got to be something other than the Unforgivables at their disposal. Alright?"

A moment passed as they all took these orders in, Draco had the first word to say.

"Hey, why do you just assume-!"

Harry's head snapped up to look the blonde dead in the eye. His own emerald eyes had a dangerous sheen to them, the whites had gone pink from bloodshot, his jaw set far too seriously and his mouth a grim line.

"I'm not beating around the bush pandering to you **Malfoy**. Either you know something that can help us or you're dead weight. Be glad we're not stringing you up, making sure you didn't - and won't - leak infomation back to Voldemort."

His hard look bored into Draco for a while longer, as an apprehensive feeling hung in the air. Finally, Hermione broke it, the first to actually comprehend the situation. Tentatively she asked,

"Harry, it sounds like you're preparing for- well, for a war."

Each one of them knowing the truth but hardly daring to admit it, even to themselves, they awaited his reply. Harry turned his gaze from Draco, turning it to the floor, then to the middle of the room. His eyes had a dead look in them.

"What do think we're in, Hermione? We're in a war already."

Ron asked, unusually careful.

"What happened mate? What did they say?"

Harry sighed, they weight of the world on his shoulders and suddenly bare for them all to see.

"They said that this coming battle will be one of the biggest we've ever faced. It's a key sector, if it doesn't straight out win the war for Voldemort, then it will come damn close. I plan to fight, and I told the Order that. In fact, I got the Order to agree to something even better. I told them that we'd fight, no matter if they want us to or not, so the least they could do is **allow** us to fight so that we could pool our resources and coordinate our plans. And they agreed."

They looked at each other in amazement. The Order was usually so strict in keeping them out of the war - everything from battles to minor official business. It must've taken some very emotive, logical words on Harry's part to convince them. Harry dropped his gaze, tired for a moment, before streatching up straight and earning a new determined look in his eyes.

"The battle is in a two months. Luckily, the official school term will be postponed in light of this news, but Hogwarts **will** be used as a safehouse. In these two months, we need to round up everyone willing to fight. We need to gather as much infomation as we can about what we'll be fighting and the best ways to combat it. We need to train everyone, **hard**. And we need to formulate a strategy and coordinate with the Order of the Phoenix. Okay?"

The only replies were nods and mumbled agreements.

"Okay!?" Harry repeated louder, sounding similar to an army official.

"Yes!" Everyone firmly said back, automatically.

As they moved off to begin carrying out their tasks, Tom assinged himself a job by calling out to Draco.

"Draco, I'll help you, shall I?"

Suddenly, the procession stopped. They'd forgotten about Tom. Tom and his, **unique**, position. One at a time they each turned to face him, Draco and Ron blocking the door, Hermione and Harry standing slightly in front. Tom faced them, his careful smile melting off of his chin.

No one said anything. For what felt like the longest time, not a word was said. No words against, no words fighting for. Then, after the wait, Harry simply walked up to Tom. Tom with a grim look to his face, as grim as the look in Harry's eyes. They stood nose to nose, staring each other down for a moment. Harry said only one thing:

"If you betray us, I'll kill Sonia."

"You wouldn't d-!"

Tom began, his poker face cracked at Harry's words and his own rage blowing the pieces away, as soon as the other had stopped speaking. Catching a hold of himself, he stopped midsentence, fuming. He stared at the boy oppesite, comprehending the meaning behind his words. Harry merely wore the hint of a smirk at the corner of his lips.

"You will stick with me. You can give us the best insight as to how Voldemort will be thinking - you're the best insight we could hope for."

Addressing the rest of the group, he continued;

"Come on. we've got work to do."

* * *

The most of them arrived in that week, old DA members and other useful friends. Training began as soon as the first young soldier arrived at Grimmuld Place, but the official regieme began at the end of the week. With them all gathered together in one room of Grimmuld Place, Harry felt oddly reminescent of the first D.A. meeting. It felt like forever ago to him, when it was just a class - just teenagers rebeling against a teacher. Now was such a different place. Now they were adults. Young adults, perhaps, only fit to fight via determination and blackmail. Fighting not a teacher, not some archtype of oppression, but a **war**. They finished chatting, the mandatory time before any speech where the sound filling each crevice of the room can only be described as 'chatter'. They took their places, most on the floor, some gaining the upper hand on various seats and tables. A hush fell, the chatter melting away, no visble signs of slowing aside from a sudden realisation that no ones mouth was moving anymore, as Harry alone stood oppesite the crowd.

He swallowed, never one to be in the limelight. He glanced at Ron and Hermione, how smiled back. He sent a look at Ginny, who encouraged in her impatient way. He was even compelled to briefly scan the small darker section of the crowd that Draco had drew into the plot, seeking the blondes own eyes. He looked back with an appropriate air of challenge.

Harry somehow found himself locked in the gaze of Tom Riddle. Tom, who stood up the back, in no group and making no attempts to be a part of **them**. But there was no doubt to Harry, or any onlooker, that he was a part of this congragation. he gave Harry no look, no obvious sign, but Harry knew. Harry knew why he recieved no 'look' - there was no look to give, none appropriate for what was to be conveyed. There was no assurance - if he fell Tom would not fall with him. There was no assumptions of his being correct - Tom would make no such assumptions. And there was no challenge - Tom seemed content to follow. There was just one over powering feeling - a **WANT**. Tom wanted to see Harry lead.

And lead he would.

Harry cast his sights to the crowd, dug to the depths of his heart, his determination, his anger and his motivation and he opened his mouth to let it all flow out in speech.

"The Second War has started, whether we like it or not. It started two years ago, we've just been blissfully separated from it. But this war is **our** war. This war affects **us**, and no one more so than us. Some of those who fight will die, but not in vain. We don't have to fight, but we should. Because if we don't fight, and they win, what can we say? When people ask, where were you during the Second War, what can we say? 'Hiding under our beds, hoping Voldemort didn't come knocking on our doors?'. **I** won't be. If anyone asked me, I know that I can proudly say: 'I was on the front lines, fighting every Death Eater that came at me, and I only stopped when I physically couldn't fight anymore' - That's what I'll be able to say. The adults who think they can fight this for us? They grow older and weaker with every passing day. **We** are the future and this war is a war for the **future**. How many people did you know, personally, that Voldemort has slaughtered? Hiw many of you fear for your families lives, either because they are Muggles, Muggle-born, because they fight against him to protect what they treasure or even most simply they **don't agree with Voldemort**. How many of you are afriad to leave the house in case there's nothing to come back to? How many of you are afraid of going to sleep and never waking up? Or worse, going to sleep and waking up alone. **So!** When people ask, what will **you** say? When they ask about the Second War, what anecdotes will **you** have at your disposal? When your **children** ask what part you played in saving our future, will you sheepishly admit that you hid while one of the most influental battles raged on? Or will you hold your head high and humbly tell them that you fought for your future? **Well?! Are you with me?**"

A chorus of positive shouts resonated out across the room, the flow of voice indicating the characters in the room. The current and ex- Gryffindors were loud and aggressive, the Ravenclaws sharp and keen, the Hufflepuffs nervous but determined and the Slytherins soft but laced with a dangerous promise of revenge. The twins held a note all their own, the synchronised voices giving off a strange slightly mad ring. Fluer and other Beuxbatons gave a classy decortaion of a French accent, feminem yet wicked. Krum and his Durmstrang fellows provided a deep bass, tinting the room in a slightly dark shade of retribution than otherwise would've hung. Draco provided an juxatpostion of a loud, aggressive shout laced with revenge while it was Ron and Hermione who lead the crowd with such exburance.

And Tom merely stood up the back, if not leaning forward slightly, pride written all over his body. He gave only one small short word of confirmation that somehow gave Harry more confidence than the chorus in front of him.

* * *

And... that 2000+ words so I think i can stop. *smile*

There is your new shiney chapter, it has long blocks of text. I'm not sure why or how. Heh heh.

Enjoy! (and a review if you spare the time, please)


	11. Ouroboros Battle

Another chapter.

Oh wow an action chapter. How did I go? I've never written action before.

...I don't have high hopes. Eek.

* * *

The windows were boarded up, but most would be smashed in anyway. The air hung with a deadly silence aside from a murmur of orders passed about like a game of whispers but delicately un-exaggerated. As Aurors stood about the perimeter of the legal forces, Harry tapped an enchanted gallon with his wand to confirm his units positions. Draco and Ron lead one team, isolated from the main bulk of the army, hoping to both corner and surprise the invaders. Hermione had pairs all over the roofs, a perfect vantage point over the coming battle and - with any luck - a position the Death Eaters won't think of.

Harry stood with the main force. While those with Hermione had been specially trained for support and sharp single-target spells and Ron and Draco's unit had been trained with stealth in mind, Harry's force had a lot more **damage** behind it. They knew some of the most devastating spells they could get their hands on, and between the Black's library and Mad-eye Moody's intense training the spells where **incredibly** devastating.

They stood, apprehensive, at the ready. The Death Eaters were expected at any moment. Worse - multiple spies had reported back with the same information; Voldemort himself was expected at any moment. So they stood, making peace with themselves and wondering how many would survive the day.

Then the streets echoed with what could've been hundreds of firecrackers going off. But what these sounds announced were much worse. Upon apparition the outer Death Eaters attempted a volley of Avada Kedavra's. This was anticipated and most got out of harms way. Most, but not all. The Order and Ministry forces erected their barriers and the first wave rushed forward to engage the Death Eaters head on. Hermione's forces attacked the centre of each group of Death Eaters, attempting to at least weaken their inner wand-wielders. The core of the groups scattered from the seemingly random attacks, pushing the Death Eater circles apart and scattering their forces.

A second wave from the Ministry. Auror's rushing the Death Eaters, disabling many personal ward spells and moving onto their next victim. After a minute the wave split, half continued keeping personal wards and shields down while the other half joined the dueling. They were evenly matched, showing the Ministry and the Order Voldemort's disturbingly high amount of followers - at least twice the size of what it ever was. Most duels were one-on-one with deadly spells flicking from the wands of both sides, each already aware that this was a battle for their lives - past, present and future. Stunning spells were secondary, and gained a quick response of a much more constricting spell. Legs sank in a gelatinous fashion, arms caught fire, torso's were meshed with bodies and walls (whichever was closest).

Death eaters in tight-fitted clothes flitted through the crowd forcing both vials and needles of potions into their opponent. Ron and Draco arrived with their unit, striking these ninja-esque Death Eaters the hardest. Far more used to watching other's backs but not their own, they quickly learnt to from their dead comrades. Now a medley of confusion spells joined the throng, sickly and neon spells hitting the Death Eaters and turning them on each other. Spells similar to hallucinogenics turning them into a near perfect shot for a moment before they dissolved into paranoia and panic.

All the while Harry's unit stood, strong and professional, in the middle of it. They took their share of potion-Death Eaters and killed many average Death Eaters. Some even duelled the inner circle Death Eaters. But Harry Potter himself dodged about the edges of the battle, shimmying along the high stone walls as he kept his eyes pealed for the only foe he **really** wanted to fight. He didn't neglect the battle - he had started out stunning, still uneasy with the idea of killing anyone. But after a few too many Avada Kedavra's - at both himself and his friends and allies - his resolve hardened into determination and he retaliated in kind. A few minutes into the battle, he had lost Tom, whom had stayed by his side for most of the planning and all through the moment prehensive to the battle.

A series of unmissable screams silenced all other sound for a moment as tension built in the thickest part of the battle only to literally explode. Bodies, fully- and half-charred like overdone orders of chicken flew into the walls of the street. Some still standing were taken down by these missiles but that just meant more people further away could see the cause of it. Ministry, Death Eaters, the Order and D.A. all stared for a dangerous moment at the figure centered in the circle of unadulterated carnage. He stood tall and menacing, the black cloth whipping about him in a magic induced wind. His crimson eyes positively glowed from his snake eyes, almost a Basilisk's gaze with the death they promised in them. A painful death, a long death, an agonizing death and the death of your heart as you watched the death of **everyone** you knew.

Then the Death Eaters pulled their wits together and realised that **that** force would be aimed at **them** if they didn't act soon. A volley of green similar to their entrance announced their realisation as the Death Eaters plunged on with renewed determination. For them now it wasn't just defeating the enemy - it was the threat of their own master as well. For a moment the Ministry and Order was overwhelmed. They were tired and disheartened by this revelation. But a whispered passed through the younger members of the battle and as one they exclaimed;

"FOR FREEDOM!"

And a small golden glow emitted from pockets or chests, where ever their enchanted gallons were and with this energy boost they fell into the battle once more, renewed physically and renewing their allies mentally. But still the battle was at its most difficult. Not only did they now have the Dark Lord himself to contend with, but a long thick scaled tail flipped about ally and foe alike, tripping all but her master up. Nagini bared her fangs in a hiss of lethal promises and she coiled about five at a time, her fangs poisoning some and her jaws crushing others. Magicians were swallowed whole or picked up and flung like rag dolls.

Hermione and what remained of her pairs scattered along the roofs signalled to those on the ground to find a way up or to the secluded alleys that they had secured for healing, wards and boosts. The battle stood at its most intense, but also had a sense of calm. Soon, neither side would be able to hold on. Soon they all would be duelling themselves to death via plain muggle exhaustion.

So it was a relief when a brilliant flash hit the Dark Lord Voldemort square in the chest.

He reeled to face his assailint personally and the few in the way parted to admit Harry Potter into the ring that was forming. Fighting around them stopped. All present knew that nothing matter much but the outcome of this duel. They paced each other for a moment, sizing each other up.

"Potter." the Dark Lord practically hissed.

"Voldemort." Harry spat in return.

"It doesn't matter how many new spells you know, Potter. I offered you power and you refused it. The only alternative to power is death."

"Let's see whose really on the side of power then."

They both barely missed each others first spell, Harry literally rolling away and Voldemort quick-footing his way to safety. Spells flew again, green and red sparking as they fused into golden before the green quickly terminated, Voldemort holding his wand close to himself eager to miss another Priori Incantatem. Each remembered exactly how they had to play this duel, their spells couldn't connect. Not for long. Bright colours narrowly missed each other as the duel continued, but the first spell to hit was from Voldemort's wand. The jagged red struck Harry and he spasmed as he fell to the ground in a lungful of screams. Pleased by this progress, Voldemort moved forward and attacked again. Out of breath Harry's leg caught the flesh-eating spell and his calf began to dissolve. He shoved his wand into the wound and muttered a few words, gritting his teeth at another scream as he burnt the surface of the flesh, halting the curse's progress. He twisted his wand in Voldemort and fired the second spell of the duel to hit. An orange _Confringo_ collapsed onto the cloth surrounding Voldemort destroying his robe and part of his clothes before it was quelled.

With a snarl Voldemort threw himself into the fight again. More spells connected this time, the smell of burnt flesh and something acidic hung in the air and wafted over the spectators. Blood dripped heavily from a cut somewhere on Harry's head and a blister swelled at a magically enhanced rate on Voldemort's wand arm. He flung up his wand and a silencing spell shot from the tip, a brief ripple indicating a hemisphere of silence around the pair. He turned his head and motioned to his most trusted servant and even though Harry managed to dodge the curse from Voldemort he promptly tripped over an engorged tail, his allies warning absorbed by the silencing spell. Now Harry ducked and weaved between serpent and sorcerer, dodging the worse spells but having to catch the more minor ones. Half his own spells rebounded from Nagini's skin, magic obviously embedded in her very being.

As he faced up to the serpent who reared high above him Voldemort advanced upon his back. As it became clear to the audience that his attention was occupied by the snake in front of him and had no room for considering the other threat they reacted. His allies surged forward, those on the roof either yelled or dropped from their perches. Everyone on the ground surged forward. But all in vain. The Death Eaters pushed them back and the battle swelled once more. None could reach nor warn the Chosen One as the Dark Lord advanced upon his vunerable back. His wand ready the death curse on his lips Voldemort uttered the deadly words;

"Avada-"

Before a cold voice muttered clearly above the rest, yet without a shout;

"_Penitus Poena_!"

And Voldemort was caught in a streak of purple flames before the curse took affect and he doubled over in pain. The battled quelled once more as the participants turned as one to face the wizard who had the nerve to interfere with the duel between the Dark Lord and the Chosen One. Voldemort turned, still holding his middle - Harry had already spun towards the voice. Though it was Harry who caught on first, it was Voldemort who voiced his disbelief first.

"You! It- it can not be."

"Oh it can." came Tom's unmistakable voice, so much crisper than his older counterpart's.

"No-"

"This inability to **adapt** - when on Earth did we develop that? It's so **weak**."

An instinctual spell shot from Voldemort's wand as his anger flared.

"I am **not** weak! It doesn't matter how you got here. _Nagini_!" He partially turned to address her "_They are both your targets_!"

Voldemort flung another Avada Kedavra at Harry, but he was prepared enough to dodge and counter now. Nagini rolled up to Tom, unease evident in her unblinking eyes as she tried to comprehend why she recognised him. Her tail flicked out at her new opponent. Tom dodged and raised his wand cautiously.

"_Nagini_-"

She flicked her tail at him once more.

"_Nagini_-!"

But she wasn't deterred. Her master had given her an order and she would never betray him. No matter how unsavoury he had turned. She attacked once more and Tom dodged for the third time but rebounded with his wand at the ready and let a spell fly. Nagini braced herself, ready for a curse. Instead, she felt a smooth warm feeling envelope her. Each of her scales felt shiny and new, her eyes felt clear for the first time in years and her fangs were spic-and-span with her venom positively begging to drip. She knew this charm and she knew who had invented it. She had watched as he had poured over books taken from various libraries and promised her a treat. Her master had made this eggshell charm, the warm, comforting spell she hadn't felt for a decade or more. Only her master knew this charm...

"..._Tom_...?"

The grin that broke the young boys face left no doubt in Nagini's memory. This was her master.

"_Nagini, oh my sweet Nagini. What has he done to you my dear proud serpent_?" Concern and care laced Tom's voice.

Sensing that something was amiss with the supposed battle behind him, Voldemort turned to face the pair. Shock brief passed his face before his features contorted with outrage.

"_Nagini_!_ I said **attack**_! _He is the enemy and you must **kill** him_!"

Tom calmly looked up at his snake. In placetating tones he talked only to her.

"_Remember how it used to be, my sweet_? _How you used to be a pet, my companion - not just a tool_?_ Harry Potter is not my enemy, Nagini_. _But my older fool of a self is_. _It is your choice, of course_. _But if I had you with me... Oh Nagini, if I have missed five things all five have been you_."

Barely a moment passed before Nagini raised herself higher than some of the buildings surround them and brought herself crashing down.

On top of Voldemort.

With a yell he flung himself out of the way but her body still pinned his legs. She raised herself up and prepared to attack once more. Tom had skirted around and faced him from one angle, his wand cautiously held in a lower stance. Harry finished off the triangle points with his wand held out defiantly in front of him. Voldemort looked about, taking in the three who had designated themselves his opponents. His younger self, miraculously in the present. His life-long companion, siding with his other self. The Chosen One, who he'd never been able to kill. And for just a damning moment of clarity Voldemort realised he wouldn't be able to kill him this time either.

With a desperate shout Voldemort sent a shockwave of magic from his wand. The spell harmlessly swept over Nagini's scales, was casually absorbed by Harry and Tom's wands and terminated at the silencing spell barrier. Nagini slide her tail over and constricted his legs, still Voldemort flailed about curses. In a conjoined sense of serenity Harry and Tom advanced upon him as a pair. They raised their wand as a pair and - without so much as a glance at each other - they fired the twin curses. As they simultaneously hit, the Dark Lord Voldemort's heart stopped pumping at the same time that the electrical impulses in his brain stopped functioning permanently terminating all life.

Voldemort was dead.

As this news registered through the crowd the reaction was mixed. Some howled with despair, or fought for escape. Many merely hung their heads in defeat and let their wands drop. Some raised their voices in victory, or began detaining the Death Eaters around them. Others desperately fought the throng searching and calling for loved ones.

Standing next to each other, sound filtered back in to mask their panting. Harry and Tom glanced at one another, not knowing what to expect from each other. Then a smile crept onto their faces and before they knew it they were throwing their heads back and sharing a laugh. A laugh of relief, a laugh of acceptance, a laugh of peace, a laugh of victory and most of all a good old honest **laugh**.

Friends and allies enveloped Harry, voices loud and blurred as hundred's congratulated him. Group hugs held him up as strangers kissed his cheeks. Hands pulled him in all directions. Then Ron and Hermione were right their hugging him and jumping with him shooting that they'd won and that Harry had did it over and over and over. As the celebrations turned into a more conventional mandatory arrest crew, some one rounded up the five of them - Harry, Tom, Draco, Ron and Hermione - and took them back to Grimmuld Place. Many of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army were already there and though Molly Weasley tried to coax them into sleeping nothing - **nothing** - could have stopped the quintet from enjoying the celebrations.

* * *

Oh wow. Another chapter.

So how'd I do with the how action writing? Tell me please, because that's something I'd like to refine.

Other than telling me about that - reviews please? Reviews make me very happy.

Which reminds me: Kudos to Lvmj for being both my only reviewer for chapter ten and for leaving a very nice review.

...

Now what a nice sounding conclusion... But wait-

It ain't over yet, folks.


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